Print system, printing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium for making a bookbinding product

ABSTRACT

If it is determined that a sheet on which image data of the front cover is to be printed is the particular sheet, a printing apparatus prints on sheets the image data of the body in an order from an end of the body toward a head of the body, discharges the printed sheets without reversing, finally prints image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, and discharges the particular sheet without reversing by the reversing unit, or firstly prints a mirror image of the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, discharges the particular sheet without reversing, next prints on sheets the image data of the body in an order from the head of the body toward the end of the body, reverses these printed sheets and discharges these printed sheet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a print system, a printing apparatusand a method of controlling the same, and a storage medium.

Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, by performing post processing on printed materialsprinted by a copying machine or the like, improvement of usability orvisual quality of that printed materials has been performed. In suchpost processing, for example there is stapling processing that opens apunch hole in the printed materials and causes it to be closed by abinder. In addition, there are bookbinding processes in such postprocessing, and in such bookbinding processes there are those that, forexample, book-bind by saddle stitching printed sheets that have beenlaid-out for bookbinding.

In addition, there is demand for increasing sheet types that can be usedin printing and post processing to improve usability or visual qualityof printed materials, and for example it is possible to use, as aprinting sheet, a transparent film or coated sheet whose front surfacehas been coated. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H05-35151discloses that an OHP sheet, on which a mirror image of an originalimage has been printed, and inserting paper, on which a normal image ofthe original image has been printed, are overlapped, and an image of theOHP sheet can be visually observed as an erected image of the originalimage from a back surface side of the OHP sheet, and if the OHP sheet isturned up, an image on inserting paper can be visually observedunchanged as the erected image of the original image.

By applying this technique, to improve visual quality of a printedmaterial a transparent film is used on a front cover, a back cover,inserting paper, or the like of the printed material, an image of thefront cover is printed in a mirror image on the back surface thereof,and the image of the front cover is made to be visible through thetransparent film if seen from the perspective of a front surface of thefilm. Thus improving the visual quality of a front cover or a backcover, and making a bookbinding product resistant to dirtying is beingconsidered.

However, when using a transparent film on a front cover, because such atransparent film is hard to bend, there are cases in which it cannot bereversed in a printing apparatus and discharged. Accordingly, whenprinting a front cover, a situation arises in which the printing cannotbe performed when printing of a mirror image on a back surface isattempted by causing the transparent film to be reversed. To avoid this,there is a need to print an image of a front cover in a normal image ona front surface of the transparent film that is used as the front cover,but this leads to the visual quality suffering because a print facebecomes a front side of the transparent film.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentionedproblems with conventional technology.

A feature of the present invention is to provide a technique formaintaining visual quality of a bookbinding product by changing, inaccordance with a type of a sheet to use as a front cover for abookbinding, a print order of image data of a body and the front cover,and a discharge method of sheets on which the front cover and the bodyhave been printed.

The present invention in its first aspect provides a printing apparatus,comprising: a reversing unit configured to reverse a front and back of aprinted sheet and then discharge the sheet; a determination unitconfigured to determine, upon receiving print data for bookbinding thatincludes image data of a front cover and a body, whether or not a sheeton which image data of the front cover is to be printed is a particularsheet; and a control unit configured to, when the determination unitdetermines that the sheet on which the image data of the front cover isto be printed is the particular sheet, control to execute by switchingbetween: (i) a first control that prints on sheets image data of thebody in an order from an end of the body toward a head of the body,discharges the printed sheets without reversing by the reversing unit,finally prints the image data of the front cover on the particularsheet, and discharges the particular sheet without reversing by thereversing unit, and (ii) a second control that firstly prints a mirrorimage of the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet,discharges the particular sheet without reversing by the reversing unit,next prints on sheets the image data of the body in an order from thehead of the body toward the end of the body, reverses sheets on whichthe body has been printed by the reversing unit and discharges thereversed printed sheets.

The present invention in its second aspect provides a method ofcontrolling a printing apparatus, comprising: reversing a front and backof a printed sheet and then discharging the sheet; determining, uponreceiving print data for bookbinding that includes image data of a frontcover and a body, whether or not a sheet on which image data of thefront cover is to be printed is a particular sheet; and when it isdetermined that the sheet on which the image data of the front cover isto be printed is the particular sheet, controlling to execute byswitching between: (i) a first control that prints on sheets image dataof the body in an order from an end of the body toward a head of thebody, discharges the printed sheets without reversing, finally printsthe image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, anddischarges the particular sheet without the reversing, and (ii) a secondcontrol that firstly prints a mirror image of the image data of thefront cover on the particular sheet, discharges the particular sheetwithout the reversing, next prints on sheets the image data of the bodyin an order from the head of the body toward the end of the body,reverses sheets on which the body has been printed by the reversing anddischarges the reversed printed sheets.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 1 depicts a cross-sectional view for explaining a structure of acopying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view for explaining a structure of afinisher according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a controlunit of the copying machine according to this embodiment.

FIGS. 4A and 4B depict views for explaining a mechanism that dischargesa printed sheet in the copying machine according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of a console unit of the copyingmachine according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 6A, 6B and 7 are flowcharts for describing printing and dischargeprocessing by the copying machine according to the embodiment.

FIGS. 8A-8H depict views for explaining an overview of the presentembodiment.

FIGS. 9A-9C depict views for explaining sheet information held by thecopying machine according to the embodiment.

FIGS. 10A and 10B depict views illustrating examples of a paper settingscreen displayed on the console unit of the copying machine according tothe embodiment.

FIGS. 11A and 11B and FIGS. 12A and 12B depict views for explainingexamples of copy screens according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 depicts a view illustrating an example of a finishing prioritydesignating screen displayed on the console unit when a user setting keyis pressed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinafterin detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to beunderstood that the following embodiments are not intended to limit theclaims of the present invention, and that not all of the combinations ofthe aspects that are described according to the following embodimentsare necessarily required with respect to the means to solve the problemsaccording to the present invention.

Note that in the following embodiments, explanation is given of acopying machine as an example of a printing apparatus according to thepresent invention, but the present invention is not limited to such acopying machine, and may be a printing apparatus (a printer) thatreceives and prints print data from a multi-function peripheral(multi-function peripheral), a PC, or the like.

FIG. 1 depicts a cross-sectional view for explaining a structure of acopying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In a tray 102 of a document feeder 101, originals 103 that are readingtargets are stacked, and an original is conveyed one sheet at a time toa document reader (scanner) 119, and is flow read. Explaining in detail,a feed roller 104 is configured to pair with a separation pad 105, andthe original 103 is fed one sheet at a time on the tray 102. Theoriginal 103 thus fed is conveyed into the scanner 119 by anintermediate roller pair 106, is sandwiched by a large roller 108 and afirst driven roller 109, and conveyed by the rotations of these. It isfurther sandwiched by the large roller 108 and a second driven roller110, and conveyed along a rotation direction of the large roller 108 bythe rotation of these rollers. The original 103 thus conveyed passes aflow reading original glass 112, a jump stand 118, and an original guideplate 117, and is conveyed by the large roller 108 and a third drivenroller 111. Thus, when the original 103 passes above the flow readingoriginal glass 112, an original surface in contact with the flow readingoriginal glass 112 is exposed by an exposure unit 113, and reflectedlight thereof is reflected by a mirror unit 114 and sent to a lens 115.By converting light thus passing through the lens 115 and focused intoan electrical signal by a CCD sensor unit 116, an image signal of animage of the original 103 is obtained. The original 103, for which animage was thus read, is discharged from the scanner 119 by an originaldischarge roller pair 107. Note that, between the flow reading originalglass 112 and the original guide plate 117, the original 103 is conveyedin a form that follows the original guide plate 117 and contacts theflowing document reading glass 112.

In addition, it is also possible to read an original 121 for whichcopying is desired by a user placing the original 121 on a platen glass120 and pressing a start button of a console unit 330 (FIG. 5), and theexposure unit 113 moving in a leftward/rightward orientation (asub-scanning direction) of FIG. 1.

Next, explanation is given of a configuration of a printer unit 150.

The printer unit 150 converts image data into a laser beam by a laserunit 122, and by the laser beam emitted from the laser unit 122, formselectrostatic latent images of images corresponding to each color onphotosensitive drums 123-126. Note that, based on image signals of Y(yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and BK (black), the photosensitivedrums 123-126 are used to form images corresponding to respectivecolors. The electrostatic latent images thus formed on eachphotosensitive drum are formed, by toner of each color supplied fromdeveloping units 127-130, into toner images respectively correspondingto each color. These toner images are transferred in sequence to a sheetfed from a feed cassette 131 or 131, or a manual feed tray 138, andultimately a color image is formed. Note that the developing unit 127supplies Y (yellow) toner, the developing unit 128 supplies M (magenta)toner, the developing unit 129 supplies C (cyan) toner, and thedeveloping unit 130 supplies BK (black) toner. After being sent to afixing unit 133 and being fixed, the sheet to which the color image isthus transferred is discharged by rotation of conveyance roller pairs134 and 135 from the apparatus or to a connected finisher 200 of FIG. 2.At this point, by performing reversal control of the sheet by conveyanceroller pairs 134, 135, and 137 and a flapper 136, it is possible toswitch between discharging the sheet in a state in which a print face isupward or discharging the sheet in a state in which the print face isdownward.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view for explaining a structure of thefinisher (post-processing apparatus) 200 according to the embodiment.The finisher 200 is connected to the copying machine of FIG. 1 to form aprint system, and receives the sheet printed by the copying machine andexecutes post processing (here, bookbinding processing) thereon.

The finisher 200 receives the sheet discharged from the copying machineof FIG. 1 via a conveyance port 201, and stacks it as a sheet bundle 212on a stacking unit 203 by a conveyance roller 202. With respect to thesheet bundle 212 thus stacked on the stacking unit 203, saddle stitchingprocessing is performed by pressing, by a protrusion member 204, acenter of sheets into a folding roller 205. A sheet bundle thus saddlestitching processed is discharged to a tray 206 by a discharge roller205. An output tray 211 is used to discharge sheets for which thebookbinding processing is not performed. Here, because the finisher 200according to the embodiment realizes saddle stitching processing by amechanism as previously described, when saddle stitching processing, itis necessary for the copying machine to print from a sheet that is thelast to be bookbound, and to discharge a printed sheet whose frontsurface is facing upward.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a controlunit of the copying machine according to this embodiment.

A CPU 301 executes later described control in accordance with a controlprogram stored in a ROM 302, or a control program deployed, via an I/Ocontroller 317, into a DRAM 304 from an HDD 320 by a boot program storedin the ROM 302.

Image data of an original read and obtained by the scanner 119 isconverted into an RGB signal by control of a CPU 308 of the scanner 119,and is stored in the DRAM 304 via a bus controller 305 and a scanner I/F306 under the control of the CPU 301. Thereafter, the image data isstored in the HDD 320 via the I/O controller 317. If printing the imagedata saved in the HDD 320, the image data is temporarily stored in theDRAM 304 under the control of the CPU 301. Thereafter, after colorconversion processing such as an RGB->CMYK transformation is performedwith a rendering unit 303, image data on which the color conversionprocessing has been performed is sent to the printer unit 150 via aprinter I/F 310 and printed. At this point, the CPU 301 can instruct,via a serial communication controller 318 and a serial communicationline 316 of the I/O controller 317, a CPU 313 of the printer unit 150 soto reverse the printed sheet and output it to the finisher 200.

In addition, the CPU 301 can instruct the CPU 308 of the scanner 119,via the serial communication controller 318 and a serial line 309 of theI/O controller 317, to read the original 103. With this the CPU 301stores the image data obtained by the scanner 119 in the DRAM 304 or theHDD 320.

The CPU 301 loads the image data stored in the HDD 320 into the DRAM304, and after converting from an RGB signal to a signal of a CMYK colorspace by the rendering unit 303, transfers the data to the printer unit150 via a video cable 311 to execute printing.

A console unit interface 319 controls an interface with the console unit330, outputs display data to the console unit 330, and transmitsinformation input by a user with the console unit 330 to the CPU 301 viathe I/O controller 317.

A CPU 315 is a CPU that the finisher 200 is equipped with, and controlsoperation of the finisher 200.

FIGS. 4A and 4B depict views for explaining a mechanism that dischargesa printed sheet in the copying machine according to the firstembodiment. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, portions in common with FIG. 1 areillustrated by the same reference numerals, but each roller of theconveyance roller pairs 134 and 135 of FIG. 1 are respectivelyillustrated by reference numerals 134 a, 134 b, 135 a, and 135 b.

For a sheet 401 to which an image has been fixed by the fixing unit 133,the image is formed on an upper surface of the sheet 401, and FIG. 4Aillustrates a case in which the sheet is discharged to the finisher 200unchanged. Here, by causing the conveyance rollers 134 a, 134 b, 135 a,and 135 b to respectively rotate in arrow directions, the sheet 401 isconveyed in a direction indicated by an arrow 402.

FIG. 4B depicts a view illustrating a case in which the front and backof the sheet 401 on which the image is fixed by the fixing unit 133 arecaused to be reversed, and a surface on which the image of the sheet 401is formed faces down and is discharged to the finisher 200. Here, byfirstly causing the flapper 136 to move in a direction of an arrow 403with respect to the sheet 401 sent from the fixing unit 133, the sheet401 is lead in a direction of an arrow 404, and the sheet 401 isconveyed to a lower side by rotation of conveyance roller pairs 405 and137. Thus, after temporarily stopping the conveyed sheet 401 at aposition indicated by the reference numeral 406, by causing theconveyance roller pairs 405 and 137 to rotate in reverse, the sheet 401is returned in a direction indicated by an arrow 407. At this point, theflapper 136 is positioned so as to send the returned sheet in adirection of the conveyance roller pair 135 a, 135 b. Thus, the frontand back of the sheet 401 on which the image has been fixed by thefixing unit 133 are reversed, and the sheet is discharged to thefinisher 200 by the rotation of the conveyance roller pair 135 a, 135 b.

The CPU 301 can instruct, via the serial communication controller 318and the serial communication line 316 of the I/O controller 317, the CPU313 of the printer unit 150 so to reverse or to not reverse the printedsheet and output it to the finisher 200.

FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of the console unit 330 of the copyingmachine according to an embodiment.

A main menu key 501 is a key button that instructs so as to display amenu screen on a display unit 502. A user setting key 503 is a keybutton that instructs so as to display, for example a later describedpaper setting screen or the like on the display unit 502. A start key504 is a key button that instructs a start or the like of a copy. Notethat the display unit 502 is equipped with a touch panel function.

Next, before explaining the embodiment of the present invention indetail, with reference to FIGS. 8A-8H, a feature according to thisembodiment is explained in detail.

FIGS. 8A-8H depict views for explaining an overview of the presentembodiment.

FIG. 8A illustrates a case in which a transparent film (particularsheet) is used for a front cover of the bookbinding, and a referencenumeral 802 denotes a back surface of the transparent film, andillustrates a state in which an image of the front cover is printed onthe back surface in a mirror image. A reference numeral 801 shows a viewfrom a perspective of a front side of the transparent film. In this way,a method such as this is taken to cause print quality of the image ofthe front cover to improve because when the mirror image is printed onthe transparent film, and that printed image is viewed from the backside, it appears as though a gloss of that image has increased.

FIG. 8B depicts a view illustrating a situation in which the body andthe front cover are printed in the order illustrated in FIG. 8C, printedsheets are discharged to the finisher 200 without reversal and stackedon the stacking unit 203, and saddle-stitching is performed by theprotrusion member 204. Here, for image data of the body, because eachsheet is folded in two and saddle stitched, and each sheet is printed ina 2-in-1. The body is printed in an order from the end thereof towardthe start, and printed sheets are stacked in sequence with its printedface upward. Lastly, image data of the front cover is printed in amirror image on the back surface of the transparent film that is to bethe front cover, and the front and back of the transparent film that hasbeen printed to are reversed and the transparent film is discharged.With this, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, a state in which the transparentfilm of the front cover has been reversed and stacked on the body isentered, and in this state, upon the saddle-stitching by the protrusionmember 204, a bookbinding product having a front cover with a gloss isobtained.

FIG. 8D illustrates a case in which, because a sheet has strongresilience in the case of a transparent film, in a copying machine, animage of a front cover cannot be printed to the back surface thereof(double-sided printing is impossible). Accordingly, in such a case, itbecomes impossible to print in an order such as is illustrated in FIG.8C.

FIG. 8E and FIG. 8F depict views for explaining a print order of printdata for bookbinding according to this embodiment, and a stacking orderto the finisher 200 for printed sheets.

In FIG. 8E, firstly an image of the front cover is printed in a mirrorimage to the front surface of a transparent film that is to be the frontcover, and that transparent film is discharged to the finisher 200without reversal. Next, sheets that are to be the body are, asillustrated in FIG. 8E, printed in an order from the start of the bodytoward the end thereof, and the front and back of each sheet on whichthe body has been printed are reversed, and the sheets are discharged tothe finisher 200. Thus, a state in which these sheets are stacked in thefinisher 200 is illustrated in FIG. 8F.

Here, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, for these sheets to be stacked by thestacking unit 203 and saddle-stitched by the protrusion member 204, astacking order as illustrated in FIG. 8G is necessary. In other words,it is understood that it is sufficient that the transparent film bepositioned at a top position, and that sheets of the body be stackedafter that in an printed order of the sheets.

FIG. 8H illustrates a case in which, for this reason, the order ofprinting made to be the reverse of the case of FIG. 8E, and sheets onwhich the body is printed are discharged without reversal, and finally atransparent film on which the image of the front cover is printed isdischarged to the finisher 200 without reversal. With this, the sheetsare stacked in the stacking unit 203 by a stacking order as illustratedin FIG. 8G. This corresponds to processing illustrated in the flowchartof FIG. 7.

FIGS. 6A, 6B and 7 are flowcharts for describing printing and dischargeprocessing by the copying machine according to the embodiment. Note thatthe control program that executes this processing is stored in the ROM302 or the HDD 320, is deployed to the DRAM 304 at a time of execution,and is executed under the control of the CPU 301 to achieve processingillustrated in this flowchart.

Firstly in step S601 the CPU 301 sets a sheet feed source used inprinting. At this point a user, as preparation for performing printing,after setting sheets in the feed cassette 131 or the feed cassette 132,registers a type of the sheets to the feed cassette. At this point, theuser operates the user setting key 503 of the console unit 330 to causea paper setting screen to be displayed on the display unit 502 and toregister the type of the sheets set in the feed cassette.

FIGS. 10A and 10B depict views illustrating examples of paper settingscreens displayed on the console unit 330 of the copying machineaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 10A illustrates an example of the paper setting screen, and here abutton 1001 is a button that instructs a sheet setting of the feedcassette 131, and a button 1002 is a button that instructs a sheetsetting of the feed cassette 132. Here, for example, upon the button1001 being pressed and a setting button 1003 being pressed, for examplea screen for setting a sheet type as illustrated by FIG. 10B isdisplayed.

In FIG. 10B, upon selecting a sheet type that a user has set from asheet type list 1006, an OK button 1007 becomes pressable. In FIG. 10B,when the user selects a sheet type from the sheet type list 1006 andpresses the OK button 1007, the screen of FIG. 10A is returned to. Whenthe user presses an OK button 1004 on the screen of FIG. 10A, theprocessing for setting the sheets to the feed cassette that the user hasselected terminates.

Thus the CPU 301 can obtain the sheet type that a user set in the feedcassette 131 or the feed cassette 132.

FIG. 9A depicts a view illustrating an example of a sheet informationtable that stores sheet information thus set in the feed cassettes 131and 132 and the manual feed tray 138. This information is for examplestored in the HDD 320. Note that, in FIG. 9A, “1” of a sheet feed sourcecorresponds to the feed cassette 131, and “2” of the sheet feed sourcecorresponds to the feed cassette 132.

In addition, FIG. 9B illustrates a sheet type list table displayed inthe sheet type list 1006 of FIG. 10B, and this information is forexample saved in the ROM 302 or the HDD 320. A paper type ID of FIG. 9Acorresponds to the paper type ID of the sheet type list of FIG. 9B. Inthe example of FIGS. 9A and 9B, A4 size plain paper is set in the feedcassette 131, a transparent film is set in the feed cassette 132, andpunched sheets are set in the manual feed tray 138 respectively. In thisway, in step S601 the CPU 301, for example, creates the sheetinformation table as shown in FIG. 9A, and saves it in the DRAM 304 orthe HDD 320.

Next, the processing proceeds to step S602, and the CPU 301, when themain menu key 501 of the console unit 330 is pressed, displays a copyscreen on the display unit 502, and sets a copy mode in accordance withinformation input by a user via this copy screen.

FIGS. 11A and 11B and FIGS. 12A and 12B depict views for explainingexamples of copy screens according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11A illustrates an example of an initial screen for copying. Here,when an “other functions” button 1101 is pressed, a screen for settingother functions of FIG. 11B is displayed.

When a “binding and layout” button 1103 in FIG. 11B is pressed, a screenfor setting copy for binding as illustrated in FIG. 12A is transitionedto.

The screen for setting copy for binding of FIG. 12A includes a “bindingallocation” button 1201, a “no binding allocation” button 1202, a“fold+saddle-stitch” button 1203, a “fold only” button 1204, and a“covering” button 1205.

Here, when the “covering” button 1205 is pressed, a screen for setting afront cover as illustrated in FIG. 12B is displayed. This screen forsetting includes a “front surface of front cover” button 1211 that setsprinting of the front cover, a “back surface of front cover” button1212, a “front surface of back cover” button 1213, a “back surface ofback cover” button 1214, and a selection 1215 of a sheet used for thefront cover.

Content set by a user via these screens for setting is notified from theconsole unit I/F 319 to the CPU 301 via the I/O controller 317. In stepS602, the CPU 301 saves this notified content in the DRAM 304 as a copymode setting.

Next, the processing proceeds to step S603 and the CPU 301 waits for auser to place originals that the user desires to copy on the originaltray 102, and press the start key 504. When the start key 504 is pressedthe processing proceeds to step S604, and the CPU 301 starts a copyoperation in accordance with the copy mode setting saved in the DRAM304.

At this point, in step S604 the CPU 301 determines, from the copy modesetting saved in the DRAM 304, whether or not a front cover ofbookbinding processing has been set. If it is determined that the frontcover of bookbinding processing is not set, the processing proceeds tostep S624, and the CPU 301 instructs paper reverse and discharge to theCPU 313 of the printer unit 150.

With this the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150 performs controls asexplained by the previously described FIG. 4B upon discharge of theprinted sheets, and controls so as to reverse the front and back ofalready printed sheets, and discharge to the finisher 200. With this thealready printed sheets are stacked on the output tray 211 of thefinisher 200 in a state in which the print face is downward.

Next, the processing proceeds to step S625 and the CPU 301 instructs,via the I/O controller 317, the serial communication controller 318, theserial line 309, to the CPU 308 of the scanner 119 to read an original.With this, image data of the original obtained by the scanner 119 isobtained and stored in the DRAM 304 and the HDD 320. Next, theprocessing proceeds to step S626, and the CPU 301 causes the image datastored in the HDD 320 to be processed by the rendering unit 303, and,via the printer I/F 310, to be output to the printer unit 150 andprinted. With this the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150, via the printerI/F 310, prints the received image data on a sheet, performs control ofsheet reverse and discharge designated in advance from the CPU 301, anddischarges to the finisher 200. The processing proceeds to step S627 andthe CPU 301 repeats and executes processing of step S625-step S627 untilall originals are read and printed, and when processing for alloriginals terminates, this processing terminates.

Meanwhile, in step S604 if the CPU 301 determines that the front coverof the bookbinding processing is set in the copy mode setting saved inthe DRAM 304, the processing proceeds to step S605, and the CPU 301determines whether or not a sheet selected as the front cover is atransparent film. At this point the CPU 301 obtains, from the copy modesetting set in the DRAM 304, the paper type ID (FIG. 9A) set for thefeed cassette (paper supplier) that contains a sheet used for the frontcover. From this the paper type ID, for example, the sheet type listtable of FIG. 9B is referred to, and a name, a surface property, acolor, or the like of the sheet used as the front cover are obtained.Thus the CPU 301, based on attribute information such as the obtainedsurface property or color of the paper type ID, determines whether ornot the sheet selected as the front cover is a transparent film.

In step S605, if the CPU 301 determines that the sheet selected as thefront cover is not transparent, the processing proceeds to step S615(FIG. 6B). In step S615, the CPU 301, via the printer I/F 310, instructsthe CPU 313 of the printer unit 150 for control of both reversal anddischarge of the already printed sheet, and normal discharge thatdischarges without reversal, as well as saddle stitching processing.

The processing proceeds to step S616 and the CPU 301 reads the original103 by flow reading, and stores image data thereof to the HDD 320. Instep S617, when the originals 103 are all read and saved as image datato the HDD 320, the processing proceeds to step S618. In step S618, theCPU 301 loads into the DRAM 304 in an order from image data last storedin the HDD 320, outputs, via the printer I/F 310, image data processedby the rendering unit 303 to the printer unit 150 to cause it to print.At this point, the CPU 301 instructs the CPU 313 to perform controlcorresponding to normal discharge (FIG. 4A) that discharges withoutreversal. This processing is repeatedly executed until in step S619 thebody has been entirely printed. With this, printed sheets of the bodyare stacked in the stacking unit 203 of the finisher 200 in a state ofan order from the final printed sheet of the body with a print faceupward (for example, as with the body of FIG. 8B).

In this way, printing of the body completes, it is stacked in thestacking unit 203 of the finisher 200, and the processing proceeds tostep S620. In step S620 the CPU 301 determines final image data of theimage data transferred to the printer unit 150 from the HDD 320 as imagedata for the front cover. From the copy mode setting saved in the DRAM304, the CPU 301 specifies a feed cassette that contains a sheet for thefront cover, and obtains the paper type of the feed cassette, anddetermines whether or not the sheet to use for the front cover istransparent. If it is determined that the front cover is transparent,the processing proceeds to step S621, and the CPU 301 instructs paperreverse and discharge processing to the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150.The image data that is to be the front cover and is stored in the HDD320 is loaded into the DRAM 304 from the HDD 320, subject to RGB-YMCKcolor space processing by the rendering unit 303, and after being mirrorimage processed, is caused to be printed by outputting to the printerunit 150. Thereby, the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150, in accordancewith an instruction by the CPU 301, determines the printed sheet asexplained, and discharges as previously described FIG. 4B. With this,the transparent film that is to be the front cover enters a state (referto FIG. 8B) in which it is stacked with its print face downward on thesheet bundle (body) of the stacking unit 203 of the finisher 200.

After the front cover is thus discharged and stacked in the stackingunit 203, the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150 instructs saddle stitchingprocessing to the CPU 315 of the finisher 200. With this, the CPU 315 ofthe finisher 200 uses the protrusion member 204 on the sheet bundle 212stacked on the stacking unit 203, after it is conveyed from theconveyance port 201, to perform saddle stitching processing (step S623).A resulting document thus saddle stitch bound is discharged to the tray206 by the discharge roller 205.

At this point, the sheets of the body are printed in an order from thefinal page, and are stacked on the stacking unit 203 in a state in whicha print face thereof is upward. Accordingly, an uppermost page of thesheet bundle of the stacked body becomes the first page, and thereon thetransparent cover is stacked in a state in which a mirror image isprinted to its front surface and it is reversed. In this state, asillustrated in FIG. 8B, upon using the protrusion member 204 to executesaddle stitching, a bookbinding product comprised by the front cover ofthe transparent film and the body is obtained. At this point, the frontcover enters a state in which, from back side of the transparent film,an image of the mirror image of the front cover printed on the frontside can be seen, and as a result, the front cover for example can beseen as FIG. 8A.

In contrast, in step S620 if the CPU 301 determines that the sheet ofthe front cover is not transparent, the processing proceeds to step S622and the CPU 301 instructs normal discharge processing to the CPU 313 ofthe printer unit 150. Then the image data of the front cover stored inthe HDD 320 is loaded into the DRAM 304 from the HDD 320, subject toRGB→YMCK color space processing by the rendering unit 303, and caused tobe printed by outputting to the printer unit 150. Thereby, the CPU 313of the printer unit 150, in accordance with an instruction by the CPU301, prints the front cover, and discharges the printed sheet by anormal discharge as explained in FIG. 4A. The processing proceeds tostep S623, and the CPU 313 causes the CPU 315 of the finisher 200 toperform similar saddle stitching processing to that previouslydescribed.

At this point, the sheets of the body are stacked on the stacking unit203 in a state in which a print face thereof is upward in an order fromthe end. Accordingly, the top the sheet bundle of the stacked bodybecomes the sheet of the first page, and thereon a cover is stacked in astate in which a normal image is printed thereon. In this state, whenthe protrusion member 204 is used to perform saddle stitchingprocessing, a bookbinding product comprising the front cover and thebody is obtained. In such a case, for FIG. 8B, only that the image ofthe front cover is printed in a normal image to the front surface of thefront cover is different, and otherwise it is the same.

Meanwhile, in step S605 if the CPU 301 determines that the sheet of thefront cover is transparent, the processing proceeds to step S606 and theCPU 301 obtains the size of the sheet of the front cover from thestandard-size of the sheet information table of FIG. 9A, and obtains thesurface property of the sheet from the surface property of the sheettype list table of FIG. 9B. From the obtained sheet characteristics, aprohibition information table of FIG. 9C is referred to, and whether ornot paper reverse and discharge for the sheet to use as the front coveris possible is determined.

FIG. 9C depicts a view illustrating an example of the prohibitioninformation table for sheets according to the embodiment.

Here, the sheet information corresponds to a surface property of thesheet type list table of FIG. 9B. In FIG. 9C, it is set so thatdouble-sided coated paper and film cannot be stored in the feed cassette131, and double-sided printing and paper reverse and discharge alsocannot be performed.

From the table of FIG. 9C, if the CPU 301 determines that the sheet tobe used as the front cover cannot be reversed, the processing proceedsto step S608, and if it determines that reversal is possible theprocessing proceeds to step S615, and the previously describedprocessing is executed. Note that, determination in step S620 that thesheet of the front cover is transparent is due to the fact that thereare cases in which the processing proceeds to step S615 from this stepS607.

In step S608 the CPU 301, based on the user mode setting saved in theDRAM 304, determines whether a finishing priority or a print qualitypriority is set.

This user mode setting can be set by a user pressing the user settingkey 503 of the console unit 330.

FIG. 13 depicts a view illustrating an example of a finishing prioritydesignating screen displayed on the console unit 330 when the usersetting key 503 is pressed.

By a user pressing either a print quality priority button 1301 or afinishing priority button 1302 and then pressing an OK button 1303 inthis screen, a priority mode selected in the screen is saved to the DRAM304. Here, the print quality priority is such that, if a transparentfilm is used for the front cover, by printing a mirror image to the filmand viewing the printed image from the side opposite to the print faceof the film, it is possible to treat it as a cover image having gloss.In contrast, the finishing priority is something that enables saddlestitching using the protrusion member 204 where stacking to the stackingunit 203 in a bookbinding order of a sheet on which a front surface isprinted, and a sheet on which a body is printed is performed.

In step S608, if the CPU 301 determines that the print quality priorityhas been set, the processing proceeds to step S609 (FIG. 6B), and if thefinishing priority is determined to have been set, the processingproceeds to step S701 (FIG. 7).

In step S609 the CPU 301 instructs both normal discharge and paperreverse and discharge to the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150, and instep S610 processing for reading the original 103 similar to that of thepreviously described step S616 is performed. In step S611, when thereading of the original completes, image data initially read from theimage data saved in the HDD 320 is set as image data of the front cover.The processing proceeds to step S612 and the CPU 301 instructs normaldischarge to the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150. From the HDD 320, theinitial image data that is to become the front cover is loaded into theDRAM 304, RGB→CMYK color space conversion by the rendering unit 303 andmirror image processing are performed, and the front cover is printed bythe printer unit 150. With this the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150prints the mirror image of the image data of the front cover that hasbeen transferred to the front surface of the front cover, and, by normaldischarge control, discharges to the finisher 200. At this point,because saddle stitching processing has not been instructed, the CPU 315of the finisher 200 discharges the sheet that has been conveyed to theoutput tray 211.

Thus, when printing of the image data of the front cover has completed,the processing proceeds to step S613, and to print remaining image datastored in the HDD 320 as the image data of the body, the CPU 301instructs paper reverse and discharge processing to the CPU 313 of theprinter unit 150. After transferring the image data from the HDD 320 tothe DRAM 304, the RGB→CMYK color space conversion processing by therendering unit 303 is performed, and the image data is transferred tothe printer unit 150. Thus the CPU 313 prints the transferred image datato sheets, performs paper reverse and discharge processing anddischarges to the finisher 200. With this, the CPU 315 of the finisher200 discharges the sheets that have been conveyed to the output tray 211as previously explained. The CPU 301 terminates this processing whenprinting of the image data of the entire body, excluding the image datadetermined to be the front cover saved in the HDD 320 in step S613through step S614, is executed.

At this point, sheets stacked on the output tray 211 of the finisher 200are for example as in FIG. 8F. In other words, firstly at the start, thetransparent front cover on which the mirror image has been printed isstacked on the output tray 211 its print face upward. Next, the sheetson which the body has been printed are stacked, in an order from thefirst page of the body, on the output tray 211 in state in which theprint face thereof is downward. Accordingly, when the sheet bundledischarged to the output tray 211 is retrieved, and the sheet bundle isinverted so that the front cover of the bottommost face of the sheetbundle comes upward, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, it becomes a bundle ofprinted material stacked with the transparent cover on the top, and thebody stacked thereunder in an order from the head page. Thus, a bundleof printed material for which the front cover is a front cover of aglossy image is obtained.

Meanwhile, in step S608 if the CPU 301 determines the finishingpriority, the processing proceeds to step S701 (FIG. 7), and the CPU 301instructs normal discharge control and saddle stitching processing tothe CPU 313 of the printer unit 150. Next, the processing proceeds tostep S702 and the CPU 301, similarly to the previously described stepS616 or the like, performs original read processing by the scanner 119,and saves image data of the originals to the HDD 320. Thus, when readingof all originals is complete, processing proceeds from step S703 to stepS704, and the CPU 301 transfers the image data saved in the HDD 320 inan order from the end thereof to the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150.With this the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150 prints the image data thatis transferred, and performs normal discharge control to discharge tothe finisher 200.

At this point, the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150 designates saddlestitching processing to the CPU 315 of the finisher 200. With this,sheets conveyed to the finisher 200 are stored by the stacking unit 203.Thus, in step S705 when printing of the body completes, the processingproceeds to step S706, and the CPU 301 determines the image data savedin the HDD 320 that was first read to be the image data of the frontcover, and loads that image data into the DRAM 304. RGB→YMCK color spaceprocessing is then performed by the rendering unit 303, and bytransferring to the printer unit 150, and the front cover is caused tobe printed. With this the CPU 313 of the printer unit 150 prints theimage data that is to be the front cover, and performs normal dischargecontrol of the printed sheet to discharge to the finisher 200.

Thus, when the sheet on which the front cover has been printed isdischarged, the processing proceeds to step S707, and saddle stitchingprocessing is notified to the CPU 315 of the finisher 200. With this theCPU 315 of the finisher 200 uses the protrusion member 204 on the sheetbundle 212 in which the discharged sheets stacked on the stacking unit203 to perform saddle stitching processing. When the saddle stitch boundbookbinding product is discharged to the tray 206 by the dischargeroller 205, this processing terminates. A print order in this case isillustrated in FIG. 8H, and a stacking state of the stacking unit 203 isillustrated in FIG. 8G.

At this point, sheets on which the body has been printed are stacked onthe stacking unit 203 in a state in which print faces thereof are upwardsuch that the head page thereof comes to the top. Furthermore, thereonthe sheet on which the image of the front cover has been printed isstacked in a state in its print face is upward. Accordingly, when, inthis state, the protrusion member 204 is used to perform saddlestitching processing, a bookbinding product comprising the front coverand the body is obtained. In such a case, the image of the front coveris seen from the printed front surface and not from the back surface.Accordingly, although the image of the front cover does not becomeglossy, because it is possible to execute saddle stitching processing asis, it is possible to efficiently execute bookbinding processing.

As explained above, by virtue of this embodiment, even if a sheet suchas a transparent film that cannot be reversed is used as a front cover,it is possible to obtain a resulting document for which visual qualitythereof is not changed.

In addition, by virtue of this embodiment, when performing bookbindingand saddle stitching processing, it is possible to change a print orderof image data and a method of discharging of a front cover and a body inaccordance with the existence/absence of a front cover, the type of asheet to be used for the front cover, and whether or not sheet reverseand discharge can be performed for a sheet used for the front cover.

Other Embodiment

Embodiments of the present invention can also be realized by a computerof a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executableinstructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium(which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium’) to perform the functions of one ormore of the above-described embodiments and/or that includes one or morecircuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) forperforming the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiments, and by a method performed by the computer of the system orapparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computerexecutable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functionsof one or more of the above-described embodiments and/or controlling theone or more circuits to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiments. The computer may comprise one or moreprocessors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit(MPU)) and may include a network of separate computers or separateprocessors to read out and execute the computer executable instructions.The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer,for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage mediummay include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-accessmemory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributedcomputing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digitalversatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, amemory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2015-075469, filed Apr. 1, 2015, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. A printing apparatus, comprising: a reversing unit configured to reverse a front and back of a printed sheet and then discharge the sheet; a determination unit configured to determine, upon receiving print data for bookbinding that includes image data of a front cover and a body, whether or not a sheet on which image data of the front cover is to be printed is a particular sheet; and a control unit configured to, when the determination unit determines that the sheet on which the image data of the front cover is to be printed is the particular sheet, control to execute by switching between: (i) a first control that prints on sheets image data of the body in an order from an end of the body toward a head of the body, discharges the printed sheets without reversing by the reversing unit, finally prints the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, and discharges the particular sheet without reversing by the reversing unit, and (ii) a second control that firstly prints a mirror image of the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, discharges the particular sheet without reversing by the reversing unit, next prints on sheets the image data of the body in an order from the head of the body toward the end of the body, reverses sheets on which the body has been printed by the reversing unit and discharges the reversed printed sheets.
 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control is control in a case where a print quality of a sheet of the front cover is caused to be prioritized, and the first control is control in a case where bookbinding processing is caused to be prioritized.
 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, upon further determining that the particular sheet can be reversed by the reversing unit and then discharged, executes, instead of the first control, a third control that prints on sheets the image data of the body in an order from the end of the body toward the head of the body, discharges the printed sheets without reversing by the reversing unit, finally prints a mirror image of the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, and discharges the particular sheet after causing reversal by the reversing unit.
 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit obtains a type of a sheet accommodated in a sheet feeding unit for a sheet on which to print the image data of the front cover that the print data designates, and based on the type of that sheet, determines whether or not the sheet on which to print the image data of the front cover is the particular sheet.
 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particular sheet is a transparent film.
 6. A print system comprising a printing apparatus and a post-processing apparatus that executes post processing on a sheet discharged from the printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus, comprising: a reversing unit configured to reverse a front and back of a printed sheet and then discharge the sheet; a determination unit configured to determine, upon receiving print data for bookbinding that includes image data of a front cover and a body, whether or not a sheet on which image data of the front cover is to be printed is a particular sheet; and a control unit configured to, when the determination unit determines that the sheet on which the image data of the front cover is to be printed is the particular sheet, control to execute by switching between: (i) a first control that prints on sheets image data of the body in an order from an end of the body toward a head of the body, discharges the printed sheets without reversing by the reversing unit, finally prints the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, and discharges the particular sheet without reversing by the reversing unit, and (ii) a second control that firstly prints a mirror image of the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, discharges the particular sheet without reversing by the reversing unit, next prints on sheets the image data of the body in an order from the head of the body toward the end of the body, reverses sheets on which the body has been printed by the reversing unit and discharges the reversed printed sheets, and wherein the post-processing apparatus comprises: a stacking unit configured to receive and stack sheets discharged from the printing apparatus; a bookbinding unit configured to book-bind a bundle of sheets stacked by the stacking unit; and an output tray configured to stack a bundle of sheets that are not a target of bookbinding by the bookbinding unit.
 7. The print system according to claim 6, wherein the post-processing apparatus stacks in the stacking unit and accommodates the sheets discharged by the first control.
 8. The print system according to claim 6, wherein the post-processing apparatus stacks in the output tray and accommodates the sheets discharged by the second control.
 9. The print system according to claim 6, wherein the control unit, upon further determining that the particular sheet can be reversed by the reversing unit and then discharged, executes, instead of the first control, a third control that prints on sheets the image data of the body in an order from the end of the body toward the head of the body, discharges the printed sheets without reversing by the reversing unit, finally prints a mirror image of the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, and discharges the particular sheet after causing reversal by the reversing unit, wherein the post-processing apparatus stacks in the stacking unit and accommodates the sheets discharged by the third control.
 10. The print system according to claim 6, wherein the bookbinding unit saddle-stitches the bundle of sheets stacked by the stacking unit.
 11. A method of controlling a printing apparatus, comprising: reversing a front and back of a printed sheet and then discharging the sheet; determining, upon receiving print data for bookbinding that includes image data of a front cover and a body, whether or not a sheet on which image data of the front cover is to be printed is a particular sheet; and when it is determined that the sheet on which the image data of the front cover is to be printed is the particular sheet, controlling to execute by switching between: (i) a first control that prints on sheets image data of the body in an order from an end of the body toward a head of the body, discharges the printed sheets without reversing, finally prints the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, and discharges the particular sheet without the reversing, and (ii) a second control that firstly prints a mirror image of the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, discharges the particular sheet without the reversing, next prints on sheets the image data of the body in an order from the head of the body toward the end of the body, reverses sheets on which the body has been printed by the reversing and discharges the reversed printed sheets.
 12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to implement a method of controlling a printing apparatus, the method comprising: reversing a front and back of a printed sheet and then discharging the sheet; determining, upon receiving print data for bookbinding that includes image data of a front cover and a body, whether or not a sheet on which image data of the front cover is to be printed is a particular sheet; and when it is determined that the sheet on which the image data of the front cover is to be printed is the particular sheet, controlling to execute by switching between: (i) a first control that prints on sheets image data of the body in an order from an end of the body toward a head of the body, discharges the printed sheets without reversing, finally prints the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, and discharges the particular sheet without the reversing, and (ii) a second control that firstly prints a mirror image of the image data of the front cover on the particular sheet, discharges the particular sheet without the reversing, next prints on sheets the image data of the body in an order from the head of the body toward the end of the body, reverses sheets on which the body has been printed by the reversing and discharges the reversed printed sheets. 